Blindness - the Point of all Points

Modes 1 and 2

Something about Street Fighter

• Fight Money
  To pay for experience
• 3 v Bullshit
  Because random
• Rose
  Cammy with a Scarf

Worldbuilding (Destiny 2.5 - or: Ironbanner?)

• Noise
  
  Its really fun to think about!
• Echo of Street Fighter
  
  But this actually really looks like work!
• Preliminary Features
  
  So I won't do it!

Oh Zion

• An image in my mind

• Dumpster Point
  
  English is a good way to get into German. I believe german is a good language - but I think english speakers have problems with german because its nothing 'that new', but it adds a whole lot of seemingly unnecessary "Quatsch" to it. And so is english just simplified german. With some other stuff in it.
  
  I so would recommend everybody to learn german - to the point of making it 'our "Main" language' - which is less interesting for english speakers; But I think the 'best' option for any nationality because of its grammatical depth and intellectual demands. Its like - the tech difference. "Made in Germany" - 'is' made in Germany. To say: That stuff is 'properly made'. "More Power!"? Yea, but ... ironically ... just look at our electric plugs compared to yours. While Americans have the 'fame' of 'bigger and better' ... we have the 'bigger and better' in the end.
  
  And by "Main" language I mean ... each region will most likely ("should") stick to its roots. Common language might yet still be english - and so we get into a "paradox" ... I mean ... cultural differences that support each other. So, for as long as there were German and English with ... French for instance ... in between - I think there is some ... educational core that 'maintains' a language. So, we won't slurr things together and end up speaking a totally different language because everyone who 'learns' english or whatever in 'school' - learns it 'as it is'. And that person will then become an english speaker; Plus our Media anyhow ... keeps it present as well.
  
  

The Point

Blindness - as the one I'm writing about here - can 'dulled down' also be simply called 'stupidity'. Stupid as in 'the absence of knowledge'. It is good when there is a guide to help one bridge that gap - and blindness occurs where there either are no guides ... or ... mischief.

Blindness - as I mean - furthermore however entails an active prolonging for something that is inherantly flawed. ... I mean it. ^%&*()_+. So as in the Y, where one side is right and the other one wrong. So - as ... yea. The point is now that in prospect of a solution, this gets really dangerous. So - if a solution demands accurate knowledge of the truth, ... it is dangerous to ... 'ignore' that - though blindness has it that this 'ignoring' isn't an active act of defiance but simplified: stupidity.

Or so.//04:59

This point really concludes in other segments of this whole.

Randomly

IT talk

Why I didn't like the recent X-Com games

I think this is an excercise in Smartassing.

So I bought the game for my PS-Vita, ... and so I retaliated for my refund on my initial purchase - where I simply didn't want to support the OS the game demanded. Well - what again. So - X-Com - Enemy Unknown (Reboot) Plus (for 19,99 Eur). For the record: When it gets to any details regarding 'my concept' as of here, I want it to be known as 'my' "X-Com - Enemy Unknown 2".

During previous gripes I had with the game - I had settled that I would potentially end up liking it. And thats what happened. And for all that I have to say, I also give you the counter-argument: That it delivers the X-Com experience to a less "veteranized" Audience.
For all the 'true' X-Com fans out there, there's the comparison that 'real X-Com' is to the reboot what Duke Nukem 3D is compared to Call of Duty.

Or - war to ego shooters.

On another note are the graphics on the Vita way too demanding to really enjoy the game 'vividly' - and note that a general design concept of 'my stuff'.

Puts on shmug face. Well - my gripes with it are basically about "where it goes" ... or "where it went"; "where it took my feelings of comfort". Its like, Playmobile to a Lego Enthusiast. And how is that about Micro Agressions? If I like Legos - then, Playmobil is just ... there is no point; Whats ... there to pretend? But on the other end I can appreciate it in some way.


Am I irrational? Maybe. But - who knows?

I ... am somehow irrationally driven away from it; But somewhere deep inside me that irrationality is ... well, whats it called ... - taste? I haven't played lots of it yet, but I'm sure there's lots to discover. So - I don't (want to) rant about how shitty it is - and on the other end praise it for its ... snappy action format. So I can like it for something, but certainly not for an X-Com game.

Well - OK, its ... kindof funny. It is like X-Com, 1:1, in that ... wait ... now I get title confusion - in that in the old ones you either had 'reserve Time Units for shot' enabled or disabled - and so either got to move further or have enough time for a shot. But here - X-Com has basically been reduced to 2 Time Units - all-over. So they can travel further per unit, but the 'effective control' one has is still reduced to two takes. So while in the old ones one could take things step by step, here one has to take it in steps of two. And that makes it ... more action packed. Arguably. Yet - in the Time Unit window, every action took time. So, arming a grenade - so and so. And this way one had to micro-manage individual actions to get certain things done; Like throwing some packet of ammo over to someone who needed it.

Eventually one gets better armor, the units get more skill - and one takes further strides - or the terrain gets larger; fights get tougher - and then eventually stamina kicks in. "The fight drags out". Inventory has to be managed; So - the more you load onto someone, the faster the unit exhausts.
But given you have extra ammo, it ... might come in handy ... if you accidentally run accross some tougher enemies. There is ... micro-play ... I would argue ... as based on a higher resolution. So I don't think the 'two moves' system is really 'the right evolution' of the mechanics of the game. And an undoing of multiple bases ... ... thats a clear - ... big negative to me.

And thats ... sure ... technically what sets X-Com apart from 'any other game'. Any other game can be whatever the hell it wants to be, ... but if it calls itself X-Com, ... then it has to compare to X-Com.


I have had certain ideas before, ... - but now I have one that wraps them all up in a close-to-final state.

For this, ... well, TU or AP? Time Units or Action Points? Well ... in my System it turns out that TUs convert into AP. The TU 'stat' thereby determines how many AP the unit gets. Thereto a "Turn Window" determines how large ... a 'Turn Threshhold' there is. The base of the System is that once a Unit moves, the 'clock' is forwarded. Each other Unit then gets AP based on how far the 'furthest' unit has progressed; And the Turn Window determines how far behind a Unit may be. A unit can be put into wait mode - thats where the 'end turn' basically is moving - but a waiting soldier gets less accumulative XP. So, that being a matter of 'AP spent'.
The gist, in the idea, is that this is an inverted Time Unit System. So, instead of 'having' volume to spend, you spend volume to 'have'.
At the basis of this were a 'real time' oriented logic. So, say time passes in 'chunks' of 100 wherein each unit gets "TU" many AP - ... and on that basis the AI then operated. So with each step the player takes, the AI is allowed to take steps. Therefore there may be various modes. Once contact occurs, time is frozen - and well ... wouldn't it be too simple if I spat it all out here?


To say ... I don't see it much beyond this point.
I mean, ... on the other end. It ... would be one strategy to have a guy walking back and forth all the time before sending one guy out, who when getting contact can get backup, if say the time they are ahead could be redistributed. So, no re-distribution without going all the way back ... of course. It seems necessary to just for sake of comfort keep the 'Turn Window' in mind. So, if battle mode activates, we project 100 TUs into the future as one turn; And now 1 of two scenarios did occur. Either the engagement happened on the 'furthest' unit and thus the status of the AI - theoretically - or it happened to some delay. And the biggest nonsense about it is that its realtime in the end. So the essay goes on to say that for this reason Turns yet exist, in that the turns of both sides happen at the same time. The first turn goes to the AI, simulating the offset. Now, technically, each Unit gets a replay vision of the environment once it moves on into this so far setup imagination. To simplify this, instead of a replay we see movement compiled into red ghost-echoes. These are marked on the map - and depending on "TU proximity" the engine signals alien presence. This can range from sounds, to shaded/blurry images; And finally more or less fluctuative 'real sights'. Once an alien has been spotted - it exists as perceived by the engine. So, if two sightings occur at "different times", they of course have to sync up. Where now 'unspent AP' mean, ... thats a disadvantage, maybe, for the next turn. Unspent AP also mean a regain of stamina. Or regeneration of any kind.


For Bases I think we are in a time where we can go a bit further than just some 8x8 ... or something ... box. I'd think of a base Elevator that has some base volume surrounding it - like - a ring of 2 - but ... maybe take a command center instead that needs to be connected to an Elevator - and why not adding some Subterrain Features either? However, so - these could then get extended - alongside some strategy against alien invasions. Dependent on the type of invasion. I think of something new like ... containment breach. Second Year? Hmm ... .
Yea, that were one second year scenario.

Sacrifice the Scientists? Save the Civilians?

But, thats like ... "Lab Accidents" ... and that would work better in a Stargate game I think.


"Stargate - New Frontiers" - take control of the SGC, explore and expand on new worlds, find strange places, discover alien spiecies - and not all of them are friendly.


Sounds cool - but - I'll keep silent about anything more than that.

On the technical side I would for my X-Com rather focus on the globe and terrain stuff. So practically pronounced terrain features on the globe that represent the terrain of crash sites. And yea - the fascination for Terror From the deep comes with ... the Alien Fire that drops as one opens the door. The Submarine lands in the dark abyss of the sea - and whatever was lit by any flashlight may also just have been a shadow to what lurks behind in the hidden. It was one of the biggest "Aha!" moments to ... buy ... and use ... ... !!!

And to Save Scam!

So, in my Game there were the option or point of making friendship with a certain alien species, home in the water. At this point they come to mind as I think of tactical options like ... 'attach tracking probe to alien ship' - alongside a stealth method; To 'play it Ironman' ... and to get something out of an alien encounter way over your head. ... ... ... .


I digress.//00:11


So, what I'm saying here is that I had my own take on what another X-Com game should be; And that was way before the reboot got announced. I was still living at my gramps; And for some reason my mind was tingeling with paranoia. And I kindof knew there would be another X-Com; And that mostly because I would try and "get there first". Oh yea - those were the days, weren't they? No. But - that was "the game" back then. I had something and needed to somehow get it somewhere. So - the message that is. And next to that I had talents. Unrelated talents maybe - and as we all know I ended up failing. So, there isn't much of a point in postulizing what I could have done to succeed.
And now there so is this weird Alien thingy ... and on playing the game a little bit more I did see that! Now of course I sound silly over having mentioned this Alien. And maybe you don't believe me that I didn't know about it. But this ... basically ... sends the game right back into the abyss I had originally felt it creeping forth from.

Thats a thing; While still I would praise its Tutorial.

I think - on a fair and even level - it is to me what to some Final Fantasy fans is Mystic Quest for the SNES.


So I can take this professionally or personally. Taking it professionally I'd say its sub-par, taking it personally I'd say its bullcrap. I can appreciate it for what it does - but as an X-Com fan I can give it a 76% score at best.

That 1 extra percent is because the presentation is all over nice - and by that I specifically mean the things that make it different from the originals, which is where the big minus comes into place.

And there a few things ... have however always bothered me. What is this trend of dumbing stuff down? And I get it. The people that this game appeals to would end up spending less time on it than someone to whom the originals did greatly. And maybe I'm really in a minority there.
Consider me a Dog barking at Night.


These Tentaculoids - so, if a human is 2 high and 1 wide and 1 deep, these are 1 high 1 wide and 2 deep. The idea - at its base - is a combination of UFO - Enemy Unknown and X-Com Terror From the Deep - with a more intricate story unfolding in the background that determines the major progression of the game in terms of depth.

For this, it is first of all cool to just take the two games and think of them jumbled together. For what my idea is - everything of the original would pretty much stay in tact. In an essence. Its good enough for me to ... think around. The issue with this intricate memory management are things like ... how the heck does this work in the reboot? Where do I see how much ammo I got left in the weapon? Do I have infinite reloads?

This reboot is in many ways taken right off my drawings. So - the "Ninja Climbing" thing for instance. Class Systems. Its like, 'take that', "ditch everything else that X-Com is" into a corner; And call it a thing. Everyone who hates it then gets called 'biased' - especially me, for wasn't I who "created it" in first place?

Art style: For the game I would generally embrace a "45 degree" ish style; With models in a quality comparable to FF VII and VIII. Sortof. To however from there narrow down towards the classics. Keeping a generally cartoonish vibe.

Classes: The basics of classes come in ... when looking at the originals ... 'after' inspecting their individual stats. So, someone who is a good marksman "ranks up" towards marksman - and the 'best' marksman, in my book gets the title "Archer". Those who can carry a load are "Heavy", where those with throwing skills are "Quarterbacks". Anyhow. The basis of a squad consists of those that remain the back while "Runners" and "Rangers" keep pushing forward. "Runners" and "Rangers" are the same, just that Rangers are more diversified and sophisticated in their skillset. "Runner" is also pretty much on par with "Rookie" or "Cannonfodder". And Rangers are pretty much those 'tested survivors'. They eventually get to build up a lot of stamina and time units, but end up being better at carrying less. They get the best gear first. So, runners try to push forward, with marksman and heavies backing the base. But I don't ... shouldn't - anyway ... its viable to say that each game will have its own strategies to work for it.

Next Classes get an upgrade when Psi, Telepathy or Cybernetic upgrades and/or what not come in. Here one would want soldiers specifically for their high Psi skills; And what the Random Number Generator gives you basically makes up what you got to work with. And this is a thing - you could go and make it a gimmick. Like, "if that is the function, make it so in one function" as asking "dice out a set of units" and let a mission fail whenever one of them dies. But I am not a fan of "gimmickizing things" - to say, the originals are that - they are the way they are - but anyhow.

Something I could see for my part though is a "draft" function, where one specifies a few parameters, and the engine then dices it out; And depending on how many rolls it took or how many matches per so and so many there were, a price could be determined.
But nah.

Anyway. So - at first a squad of something like 'at least' 8 units is composed into units based upon their skill. So, here micromanagement would come in as extension to the stats screens, being like a global index of everything. So, "the commanders personal laptop" - in that sense. Or computer. Here the initial steep of a learning curve comes to a less complex end - that is, once you've wrapped your mind around all the things that there are. And thats kindof where I have my gripes with the Tutorial. I would rather 'first' have the opportunity to look around and learn things by myself - as I get going to look at what I can do.
By the way: There was a point to having multiple options here and there, as for what weapons to use or what type of weapon to put onto interceptors. The heavy rockets would destroy smaller UFOs - so it was wise to keep a lighter interceptor around, until later then.

I didn't have much of a solid idea yet, regarding classes, but ... it was particularly different from what I saw coming it ... err ... "might end up being". Whatever that means. I was a bit unsure about whether to think of them as labels the player can distribute, or something more 'special ability' based.

And I think most of the final stuff will be a matter of me sitting down to do that work, maybe. But - out of the box, most of what you "would want" is there already. The classes are made up labels for what individual soldiers are good at. So it would be nice to have a variety of symbols to make them stand out in battle. Or maybe even destinguishable costumes or ... outfits.

I mean - yea, it makes sense to now go down the equipment route - and say OK: Ninja plus Katana - OK. Ninja plus "Alien Alloy Katana" - better. Ninja plus "Alien Alloy Plasma Katana" - yay!

So there is one side where a Soldier ranks up in terms of the weapons he's using or skills that got deployed - and the other side of ... well, training. So it made sense to rely on 'marked shots' - just to boost a soldiers aiming skills; Yet 'quick shot' once there was some warranted confidence ... or ... necessity.

The final 'image' regarding classes that I had on mind is contrasted between 'Ninja' and 'Psi "Mage"'. And comes in as ... "compensation" ... for 'how little' the originals spent on exploring this meta. The Ninja being agile, stealthy and ... basically a really good ranger 'when' given a rifle. So, there is that moment where the game might hand you something really good; But otherwise you also may want to see a bunch of "averages" and "sub par" soldiers to grow up to be something; And so - you want to specifically work out certain strengths in them. That were once a matter of giving them stuff to work with. And I'd argue that this should be a 'blueprint' stage - where, the player can assign stuff from the Ufopedia, basically; Rather than any inventory. But here's a trick: Once the player has to take care of that, its additional gameplay.
Sometimes its stupid. But ... well.
But no - this is ... possibly a separate issue.

Anyhow - so some final idea is now lets say a red bar for 'marksmanship' and so a plus on that bar to upgrade it. This would give the player a chance to 'play' with the game, saying: "I want that unit to be good at this" - which would link over into training.


But - the big cookie creamy part here is gonna be that now: When moving forward and getting certain 'complex tasks' narrowed down and simplified, there is sotospeak 'extra space' for a more complex gameplay.
The idea with X-Com in that regard, gameplay wise, from my perspective is that you grow into it over time; And that you so have a fun time doing so. The arts is neat - it helps you immerse into that "box" - its a toy after all - and you get better the more you familiarize yourself with the concepts. Is that now too much? Too immersive? I'm sure that it capped me off of caring of a whole lot of other things.

So, things like - which base researches what and which base produces what ... this at some point becomes part of what it means to get gut at the game. So, building additional bases, producing weapons or stuff to boost income, ... sounds shady, ..., sustaining further production and research so to have multiple projects running in parallel while keeping technologically up in the race against the Alien invasion, responding to Alien Threats and figuring out what the hell is going on ... all that has been wrapped into those few screens of interface and interactivity.

If now there were again just one science screen per all bases, ... that takes a lot away. If we can have the same for productions, and 'append' instructions to productions, like 'sell' or 'transfer to', ... that alsot akes a lot away. Once squads have 'managable loadouts' that so can get highlighted in the inventory/buy/sell screen ... that also takes something away. Well. Here the reboot takes an approach I can barely disagree with. Except that the whole inventory is shit. Well, for starters - whenever a mission concluded and the skyranger arrived at the base, it would get 'reloaded' and if it can't be reloaded a message would pop up saying "Restock please!". I'm not sure, but there should be a 'yellow marker' once 'the last round' has been charged up. So, then one has to go and replenish - but sometimes that also ends up being a good time to re-arrange a few things. And that was used to be a game of 'how much stuff' fits onto that ship. So - each solder would take away weight; And so when taking a tank - that were 4 soldiers less that went on board. That once in 'cell space' - but also in regards of how much weapons/grenades/etc. go onto it. So in first place one thought of: How much stuff can I load on board? And it made sense to have extra stuff on board, so - just in case. I didn't bother - for instance - to give everyone heavy weapons; But had them there just in case. Or leaving Armor Piercing rounds just in case, ... stuff like that.

And so the loadout in essence is a 'that side' issue. The solution is to think of 'charge space' as "virtual space". Here the loadouts are specified and ship inventory is stacked.

Same would go for Interceptors; And at some point I wonder if it'd be cool to have something like ... the need for a transportation network. Constructions wise. One thing about it all is that putting in too many things to buy may end up throwing the economy apart. But whatever.

This meant now that there is a base Inventory and a Buy/Sell screen. Both visually similar. The Inventory would group things together based on usage and source (market/productions//transit [blue,red,,yellow]) - while in the buy/sell screen things would group up in 'type [interceptor/ship//squad/units//etc]'; And also as 'used/needed' and unused. Finally the production screen should have a place where unresolved production requests piled up. And the thing is - as weird as it all sounds - all stuff goes from and to individual base inventories. So, here's a problem: A weapon is assigned to a soldier that doesn't exist yet and is intended to be produced somewhere. It is so 'located' in the ships inventory - but that ends up being 'unused space'. The difference between the two: The 'ship inventory' is what is there, available - and the soldiers 'preferences' are something different.
So - preferences get marked individually. Or ... anyhow.

Rounding this up - when it gets to inventory, one will still have to deal with it base per base; Because that is part of the early gameplay/complexity of the whole. One would have one 'main base' - and all we might want to add is some 'automation' in case some base gets to have some stuff after some mission that you don't want/need there. Except that you might opt to seel stuff, keep it in reserve or actually even can use it there and then.

What can be 'extrapolated' as the 'foreground elements' are the bases individual outfits, their armaments, the units there - the ships; And each can be individual. So do present soldiers say: Squad Present. You may have multiple squads per base; As in that event also 'base specific loadout' - which one would need barracks for. Lets say. A present "Squad Transporter" implies 'infiltration/stuff squad' - and so, this is an excercise of 'extroverting' internal functions. So - anything that can be setup 'in a base' (Base Screen) is attached to some externally available node.
So, "Interceptors", "Transporters", "Base/Squads". I think this could fit into the "confusing" Inventory screen. First a status of each base; And a 'global tab' for "the other side" of access.

Confusing? Think of a bar at the left side of the screen - which is now either the 'science' or 'productions' index. On the right side we could zoom in onto the base on the globe. So, the science bar would have an entry 'Base 01' with XX/YY:ZZ scientists working/available:lab space; And below that all running projects, plus a 'new' where the idle scientists are at. And the classic status title.
Here now one would want to also manage squads/bases - with the thing being that they are connected in a very specific way. So, first of all there is the 'main squad' - thats what one starts off with and whom one finally were to beat the game with. Its all about that. The one main base where all the main stuff is at - or however. But with year two comes the change that once the Invasion has been prevented; There are still alien remainders that keep going. And it all came to an end after the third year.
So, a second or third year would take us into a city - basically - maybe - where the 'main shodown' happened. But this is a far stretch and has to be implemented properly. So, we're now here in this "other geoscape" - and this being a newer, simpler way of getting around means there can be additional gameplay here.

So, first we have 'squads' - and in general we would think of them as neither bound to a craft nor a base. But it all begins with soldiers that are present on a base. So, simplest of all: The 'personell' segment in the Inventory/Buy/Sell screen of a base. We then give them labels - or customize them in some way - and as that should pop up as 'base personell' in the 'base/squads' panel. Then we have to the left - zoom to base - various 'targets' for units. Here we'd say: "Transporter" - get a list of who's assigned to the craft and who isn't; ... and so this 'global menu' comes in as "Left Menu" when thinking of from within the classic base menu. And this "Left Menu" can be accessed via an 'origin' - which otherwise works as destination.

So, once the alien threat got defeated - there will yet be saucers for some time; And I picture a dice roll going on in the background that determines whats going on. So, a new set of bases will be spawned corresponding to settings and dice. An idea were that there are certain things the player could figure out about that 'Plan B' - during year 1 - while still keeping things open to some extent.
Thereby things would - make logical sense - if they accumulated towards a common 'end game'; Year 3 - just to round things up - and make it easier from a conceptual perspective. And Year 3 would - thats the thing - massively deal with corruption. So, Telepathy/Psi comes back in as a "social critique" maybe ... but also aspect of the excuse-me plot.

So does year 2 start us off with a successful X-Com initiative and hence an 'upgrade' - socio-economically as also consolidating a new civilization after delivering peace to what is now left in ruin. The X-Com expands to consolidate safety on the planet.

So this is on the surface first of all a dealing with the aftermath of year one. As we had something as 'satisfaction ratings' concerning the individual governments - there now are more and other less safe spaces on the planet; And any one of the given power nodes could be infected. Following the theme of 'Terror from the Deep' - it here now occurs that there are threats on land, still, but also in the see. So - this is taking "X-Com 1" "End-game Gameplay" "plus Victory Points", while introducing a new frontier; As simply put: The easiest way to kick off Year 2 is some new discovery/pop-up on the science screen.
And so - as we add a second tier of alien material - there in this reason is context towards diversification. With the thing being that the Aliens have their own ... "meta". Well - however. Simple or not. It is now the X-Coms initiative to arm cities, basically - but that can generally be put in the background.
To say - its just year 1 with more shit going on. Or less. So - the startup is different; First submarine tech has to be established - while one would keep using its year 1 layout. With victory, each "power node" somehow will seek access to the "safety web"; And depending on local stats and connectivity; There is some immediate 'power base' - while one can now 'expand' on these. Like ... bases that kindof come for free. Instead of "Terror Places" we now had some range of incidents that need to be responded to; And the general thing is that all we need is enough 'material' to then produce stages that can have a 'city focussed' ... thing, like Apocalypse had. We can have a second wave of 'market items' - like a half year into the second year - and along with that certain corporations and power structures that first of all end up on an index tab of sorts. There so being randomly infected and clear ones - maybe. Whatever. Not the point. Anyway - there is no need for a 'city screen' per se - but maybe something of a ... 'high zoom' - like - a higher degree of global webbing. The stance is simply that after year one, gameplay has to change in some way because the same ol is getting somehow repetitive. One now has all sorts of fancy gimmicks; And yea - maybe some still wants to pluck down bases. Not a problem - as - one may want to eventually have 'full slots' by the end anyway. UFOs will still be around; And they will still need to get downed and explored. And these power nodes can be present from the start as well; Except - whats going on on the planet is less important. There is no 'focus on it' - and so its all just shades of grey. "Rumors".
So, with victory comes in the military - where now any X-Com base has to 'expand' towards a public base which were the power node that game starts off at. Each node exists on terrain, has outlines and an urban setup; Including connections. So - I would like to have it so that we first think of what is 'there' - in terms of immersive relevance - and have a theme, or certain set-pieces, around that so we can have stages focussed around it. As X-Com tells its story through intro, outro, science boards, ufopedia and the tactical screens.

So we have ships, airports, trains, streets; And then all the environmental thingies. As for the amount of stuff - focus is on pronounced simplicity. Its good if setpieces stand out because that evokes familiarity.

Anyhow - with this flexibility in the backhand we can simulate a bunch of 'alien advances'; And these are basically what the game has to help the player advance. So, in technicality: First there is an 'escalation plan'. This means: UFO appearances around certain power nodes - resembling the alien strategy for conquering the world. So, what I would like - in first place - is to settle a proper scenario.

Like, what is life like? How did they hit us?

And how come we can't really have satellite ... yet.

Or ... 'what we have'.

However. Once that is cleared out; The advance so leads us to a) assemble their technology and b) find stuff. Like, then, we eventually discover a base and get more info out of that. We then beat them - eventually - and so we get to clean stuff up; Which were silly if there were no more to that.

So, maybe we find new Alien Tech with some rebel, or human Tech with aliens - ... but ... no; I don't like it.

"A long time ago, people settled on Mars. They had settled their while on earth some primitive life had already evolved. At some point something unforeseen however happened and they had to abandon their home. They so left this system; Leaving us to ourselves; To find a new home." - and the story now had it that some group who didn't find anything or something - like locusts - have come for earth."

And something about old submarine civilizations; And a new alliance between these Martians/Sectoids and ... "whatever".

Anyway. With the military advance, places can now shoot Aliens down automatically - translating into something as a 'investment based efficiency feedback'. Goal being to stabilize civilization and re-establishing contacts between isolated leftovers. So - that could be a startup for the meta. Save X and Y and gain contact to such and such, probably giving access to special know how.

The setting were that initially all of X-Com is earths 'top' when it gets to anything what X-Com is about. So, remainders of Military. Here we're dealing with Human survivors that stick to their Humanity as their main motivator. So, each Soldier gets an individuality perk; Which we could describe as class. It adds to the pool of what units can do. So - "Baseball Player" means, OK, he's probably not too heavy and good at throwing. If you made him a good marksman, that were a good Ranger or Support.

"Martial Artist" would imply, OK - we need some more tactical close-combat gameplay. So we can also introduce swords. So - two prongued.

On the Tactical Surface then, gameplay is established by units and their functions. Here we so get to what are 'primary interface functions': Move, "gesture", Weapon, Inventory, ... Stats. But also ... actions. I would add something like 'ready weapon' to the requirements to fire. And something as a 'location' based animation/TU count ... per ... stuff, like, kneel down to get a clip from the leg inventory and reload.
So - as on the inventory screen each action is represented by a TU count.
Left/Off hand then is as much as 'quick access' slot. If not 'dual wielding'.
So, Soldier diversification. 'Dual Wielding' is the igniting idea here. So - here by the numbers. Once customizing a Soldier, there is first: Base Stats, then 'Random Perk', and now after you have figured out a role for him you want to add some 'role customizer'. Like 'dual wielder' - just ... thinking out loud. The idea is that he's going to be a pretty good marksman with weapons he/she can dual wield, will get bravery bonus; But suffers when it gets to micro-actions; Lets say, like ... throwing.
Except he were a martial artist - that would counter balance this; ... and something about diversity bonus.

I'm not entirely in the grips with it. Yet. But I'd say ... its maybe worth trying to say that once this 'final label' is on a unit, the name and looks can't be changed anymore. And for some sakes ... making nationalities unchangable seems like a good idea; But ... just having some preset should be enough.

So - then, from the get go I want to think about something like a training range; So my soldiers can improve while waiting. And each mission were simply put - just a reasonable EXP spike. Training meant some 'slow' motion towards certain ideals focussed on improvements of all things; Which EXP in general contributes to; But then each action in battle should correspond to some 'ability point'. So, when walking around purposefully or not - thats stamina. Once shooting at a target, thats 'shooting'. Once killing a target, thats ... 'reward'. Throwing stuff however ... it seems like pointless if there is training. So - it only counts if the 'flagged' item is used in a relevant way. So, its a ... 'question mark'. "Threw [this]" ... "which had [this value]". So, swapping ammo before the game starts brings good luck?

Complicated deal.

But yea, why not? There should though also be a turn counter - or a 'danger value'; Yea ... danger value is good.

So, 'mission EXP' then gets bonus EXP depending on the soldiers specialities. And maybe some weakness. So, a soldier who panicked but still did a good job might get ... a kink off of that. So - there might be 'stars' to go with each stat; Which were now something the player couldn't directly influence. This is to say that to really have fun with the game there needs to be no real need to save scam. Just ... in case.
So, with abilities now ... I have it that once a soldier is specialist on some weapon he's wearing; Familiarity leads to lower access times and stuff. So - he performs better, period. Later we might need some 'intelligence' stat whence it gets to operating Alien Machinery - up to a point where its a requirement; Or even scientists will have to get drafted.

Abilities, to my senses, come in as any real game-changer we could 'add' to the game; As advancing from the basic core of the game. By doing so, the gameplay has to change too, slightly. So, what can we do? Agile Characters can climb up stuff, provided they aren't too heavy; There can be hookshots ... and while making such functions work there also can be basics, such as robbers ladder.
It would really 'kick in' with Psi powers, where we eventually deal with buffs, AoE powers, ... and this is where Tentaculoid alien comes in. They already have some formidable biology - but are firstly water based. They will function as strategic tool to accomplish certain tasks; Due to in part their psionic powers. And it is this alliance where some Know how came in that would ... possibly open gameplay up to a larger environment. Or more complex scenarios. Although; Killing all aliens were one way to do it.

At this point however my vision for a/the Troup Transporter is that it has transportation cells for those aliens, multiple stories and defensive options, like ... turrets and cover.

Inventory should work just as before, just that 2x1 thingies should be rotatable. And - mayhap - "class loadouts". So - the thing being that a 'classic soldier' will come with 'standard inventory' slots. One might want to 'diversify' a soldier; Saying - sacrificing slots for ... something. While ordinarily thats simply achived by not using inventory space - the idea is that we can however introduce 'special slots'. So - I think of a soldier who wanted to run around with a chaingun ... but ... basically intends to be a Ninja. So - he needs a light setup, with a big "yellow" square/badge on its back with "Chaingun" written all over it. Otherwise we might put 'sword' here. And that replaced now some backpack. Anything like a backpack would be unhandy to access - and would be more easily accessible by someone else. So, 'crouch' and "become a container". "Heavies" may end up running around with shieldings. Or - yaya - dual chaingun setups.

So for that, instead of a set grid there first of all are basically just nodes; And any equipment is a matter of ... some setups. So - by default every node were an inventory patch; And one patch being a 2x1 thing. Except now for a backpack - which goes onto its own back thingy. When now 'adding' a chaingun to that character - chaingun will come with a requirement - saying which 'patches' it will be using. The benefit of 'specialized inventory' - should turn out as efficiency bonus; Because really - in the end it really comes down to how much stuff can get done in a turn.

So, the notion that a 'special slot' changes the applicable rules. Say, an "Orange slot" does this, a green one that - so, the way this is then solved is by tailoring gear for them soldiers. I so rather like the idea of 'not' (yes) having multiple pieces of armor per soldier; But just 'one' thing ... its easier that way - but I would have it come with a set of options to then however also say: It "belongs" to the Unit then. Or - such gear would be more expensive and requires a customs shop of some generousity. So, there were a default 'suit' - with upgrade capabilities. Instead of Inventory one might Armor ... too. So - for realism, we so get to 'default' suits - like, instead of that default jump-suit we know of. Just a minor thing; But it helps setting certain things. An armor jumpsuit can be equipped with inventory, is more sturdy - and maybe thats why we get back to one. Eventually though ... so one thing ... we can have items like ammo that need certain spaces - as integrated into the armor. So - chaingun logic. And that comes down to the technical system underneath, where ... the basic customizations option were to enhance unit functions by streamlining their outfits. So, a Unit that wears agility focussed gear will gain more advancement on agility thingies. It gets crazy, "then", when exoskelettal support comes in. Thats where we can say: "Super Heavy" weapons get a thing. But they ultimately take away space.
One 'power ability' were "blink strike" - such as for a unit to quckly close some distance safely; Which then either comes on a Timed Cooldown or in form of charges.

//2017.08.10|01:45




How come it sucks

I'm biased here. I mean to say that if I weren't biased to be positive towards this game; ... I, after playing it, would hate it even more. And that maybe in a way of nitpicking. "Just look at the Interface". While pretty in some way - it ... its an insult to me as an X-Com fan. I so build/"buy" a S.C.O.P.E. (oh, how fancy) - which is where silliness begins. Why do I have to swap out a 'grenade' to eithe use a Scope (thats what it is) or even ballistic armor. Which dumbass configured this nonsense!? It makes me wanna cry.
But then - how can I sell it? I can't! I can't buy/hire Scientists and Engineers either! What is this mess?


Then, obviously, the 2 move system is extremely superficial - and ignoring Microtransactions and DLC - this game at that point is the 'definition' of what is wrong about gaming; Including all the folks that right- or wrongfully recommended this game. I mean - no doubt: It isn't a bad game in and of itself. But this to me mostly is just an excuse to distract from the reality of it. And yea - at that point I don't give a shit of all the people that ... couldn't really get into the originals. I don't mean to be this fair here - and that for more (or less?) obvious reasons.

For instance: Most of what I can in hindsight 'cheer' about are basically cutscenes. And whether or not I agree with them in turn of a more elaborate X-Com universe - its still well made and delivers the substance of X-Com very well. In cutscenes though. At that point I would mind a movie less. I have my drafts for one too. But then ... the movie would just kindof sortof be like Independence Day 2.

Except ... I mean it ... for ... whats that Cowboy Dude in Overwatch? OK, not a unique invention. Chances are I couldn't have come up with a figure that'd be unique ... I mean, the concept of this dude is just "stranger who pops up mysteriously, takes 'one single shot', saves the day and disappears again". So, the "Deus Ex Machina" personified.
Plus the 'winds of change' melody whenever he does that.

And I like that humor. Maybe he just shows up once and nobody has a clue - its totally pointless actually - but ... it ... yea, is what it is.

And so yea - superficial the 2 move system is. Not to speak of the ... the "Inventory". And the thing though is: Your appreciation for the game is working 'against' me - be it good or bad; Thats what it is. I so have this thing that I have my idea which I think is 'best' - or 'right' - while this reboot is obviously bad. But as you cheer for it - I'm wrong. I'm the one who 'lost' according to ... "the public/crowd". And OK, whatever. If thats how it is - I'll deal with it, live with it - and accept that my ideas are too complicated for you or whatever.
I then take 'my reasons' for why I think/feel the way I do with me - bother you nomore with them - but respectively my oppinion about 'you' as a whole will also change accordingly.

Language building?

Vector Logic

Some words about my Brother - and maybe more

• Another side of Dreams